Why Do Koreans Sleep on the Floor?

Quick Summary

• Koreans traditionally used ondol (a heated floor system), which makes the floor the warmest spot to sleep on. This is why Koreans don’t wear shoes indoors, keeping the floor clean.
• Most Koreans now use beds, except older Koreans like my parents who use stone beds.
• Some Koreans still sleep on the floor because it’s warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
• We’re used to sleeping as a group on the floor, especially when visiting relatives, Korean spas, or going on overnight retreats.

Traditional Reason From Ondol

Koreans used “ondol” (a heated floor system) to keep warm during cold winters.

This brilliant system makes the floor the coziest, warmest spot, encouraging families to sleep close to the heat source.

Ondol is cost-efficient as the fire furnace has a cooking caldron over it, and the heat generated in the kitchen is used to heat the room at the same time!

My late great-grandma used to live in a traditional house on Geojedo Island. I have fond memories of lying flat on the ondol floor, warming myself to the point of almost melting, then having a bite of roasted sweet potato with kimchi.

Floor Now Elevated to Stone Beds

Today, most Koreans have transitioned to using beds.

Except older Koreans like my parents who use a stone bed, literally.

It’s a bed but has a hard stone mattress with a heating function like ondol. A stone bed costs well over 2,000 dollars!

When you lie on this stone mattress, it feels like floor, just elevated.

Better Use of Space

Sleeping on the floor remains popular in some homes with limited space.

Instead of bulky mattresses, Koreans use foldable bedding known as “yo” (Korean-style mattress used as a bed on the floor).

Many Koreans now use a (mattress) topper on the floor because it has more cushion.

Sleeping on a yo allows families to make the most of their small apartments, as the bedding can be easily folded and stored, freeing up room for other activities, including eating, studying, or sleeping, and even hosting guests.

Why Do Koreans Still Sleep on the Floor?

In winter, sleeping on the floor warms my body and soul from the ondol. We don’t have traditional heating anymore in apartments, but every house has floor heating called a “boiler.”

Some people sleep on the floor to feel cooler in summer as well.

When Koreans visit a relative’s house during holidays like Chuseok, we can’t all sleep in a bed because my grandma’s house doesn’t have 26+ of them. So, most of us end up sleeping on the floor.

Koreans also have Membership Training, which is a casual-to-official overnight retreat featuring binge drinking sessions during university. And of course, we sleep on the floor.

When spending a night at jjimjilbang (Korean spa), we lie down on mats as well.

Maybe this is why I have the superpower of being able to sleep anywhere?

Conclusion

While many Koreans now use beds, sleeping on the floor remains important in Korean culture and tradition.

Koreans will keep sleeping on the floor for warmth, better use of space, and practicality.

You can get an authentic taste of Korean culture by staying at traditional-style hotels and hanok stays in South Korea.